When Lightning Strikes (Alien Academy Book 1)

by Pixie James

  “Right. The test. How could I forget the piece of paper that dictates the rest of my adult life?”

  Tia’s father clears his throat. “You are not alone in your distaste for their methods. Alas, we have little choice. We are guests here.”

  The wind picks up, and as more and more people start filtering into the race grounds, I catch a familiar scent. One I can’t seem to forget no matter how many times I try. Looking everywhere but in the direction of the source, I point at several brightly colored snack carts. “Hey, what are those?”

  “Oh, you’ll love this. After several students almost dropped from low blood sugar last year, Eugene convinced the headmaster we needed more sustenance. So, once he agreed to give him part of the budget, Eugene brought in ice cream and snow cones from out of state.”

  My brows nearly jump off my face. “Eugene participated in the games? You’re kidding!”

  “Define participate? He served as a greeter and helped the parents to their assigned tables. The only job that wouldn’t mess up his curls. He was in a perm phase last year.”

  I cringe, the image of my old frizzy mess still fresh in my mind. I tried to perm it once too. It did not end well.

  Trying my best to enjoy the crisp air as we continue through the massive set-up, Nix’s voice penetrates my concentration and I and fail miserably to ignore him. “It was right here that I set the record for images accomplished on a level twenty glove. Do you remember, father?”

  “Ah, yes. Beat my previous time by point two seconds. Pure luck, my boy. Don’t kid yourself. If we’d attended Nova together, you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

  Unable to resist the urge to look at him, I peek around several parents huddled to my left. Nix’s eyes are on the ground, hands clasped behind his back. His father is leading the way, followed by him, then his mother. Their formation seems odd since Nix is the only one who knows where he’s going but I get the feeling it isn’t optional.

  Nix’s dad looks like the kind of guy who always wants to lead, even if it’s right off a cliff.

  “Father, I’ve been meaning to mention my necessary absence at the formal Assembly dinner tonight. I have a previous obligation.”

  His father snorts, “You mean the orphan girl.”

  “She has a name,” Nix grinds out.

  “Not a proper one I will honor.” Nix’s shoulders tense as his father turns to glare at him. “And you will watch your tone. Public or not, I have no tolerance for your disrespect.”

  Nix lifts his chin. “I am a bit old for your threats, don’t you think?”

  His father pauses for a moment and smiles, turning to speak into Nix’s ear. “Your mother is of age, perhaps you should ask her if my threats are idle.”

  “Don’t touch her.”

  “I will do as I please with my wife, and you will attend the dinner. The Ki’s parents are expecting you, as is their daughter. In case you have forgotten your Ink, she is the only female here suitable for companionship. Any others tarnish our reputation.”

  “You threatening to strike my mother tarnishes it plenty. If people only knew.” Nix sighs, then crosses his arms. “I do not care for Ki’Lin, father. She’s spoiled and—”

  “Rich, well-connected, beautiful…all the things your future mate will be.”

  “Why are you acting as if I’m volunteering my time. My appointment with Cherise is not a social call. I have little choice. I need to meet my obligation.”

  There he goes with his I need to keep my word crap, again. What is he doing? I already told him I wouldn’t meet him. Is he just using me to pick at his dad? From the sound of it, it’s working. I knew Ty’Don was abusive and a total jerk, but dang… I didn’t realize what a classist narcissist he is. Not like I ever thought I had an actual chance with Nix, but hearing how against it his father is stings.

  Huey growls at my side, nudging me away from them. “Do you wish me to cut him down, Beloved Xebulin? I would face the wrath of the Assembly, but in this case, his threats against his mate are valid reason to intercede on her behalf.”

  “No. Let’s just get out of here.” I turn and smile at Tia and her family who are distracted with this year’s trophy display. “Hey, Huey and I are going to go. I need to talk to Ha’Jahn about tomorrow.”

  Tia frowns. “Are you okay? The food hasn’t even been served yet, and you seem upset.”

  “I’m good. Just tired.”

  “Are you sure you must leave? It was wonderful to meet you,” Tia’s mom says in a gentle voice. Everything about her is warm and comfortable. All the things my mother never was.

  “Yes, but I’ll be around. I’m sure I’ll see you later.”

  Her mother and father exchange a look, then her father places a hand on her mother’s lower back. “You are always welcome in our family. We look forward to tomorrow.”

  Huey nudges my hand, wrapping his regala around my wrist, and the family directly to our right parts to allow us to pass.

  Nix’s dad’s voice carries over their conversation, cementing my disgust with him. “You will attend. I will speak to Ha’Jahn myself. I’ll hear nothing more of the orphan and your foolishness when it comes to refusing the Ki’s interest. Ha’Jahn wouldn’t dare blemish your record over such a pointless task. The girl’s success is not your responsibility. Gaining a powerful mate and continuing our families legacy is. You will see the throne, Ty’Nix. Or I’ll have your head for it.”

  Once we’ve made it through the clogged up quad, Huey and I head toward the headmaster’s office. I’ve been so focused on trying to decide whether or not I’ll attempt the games, I never actually found out if I’m allowed to participate. After overhearing him and Te’Lara talk, I’m not sure it’s even an option.

  The hallways are blissfully empty. I’m not sure when I started to really care that Nix and I are never going to happen, but my aching chest and the nagging burn of my mark are constant reminders that I’m going to seriously die alone.

  Huey huffs, and I can practically feel him rolling his eyes. “Out of my head, you.”

  “A mark of intention will not kill you, Beloved Xebulin. I spoke with Te’Lara about its resistance. She also believes the creator is still on the school premises. We will renew our search efforts next week after the War Commander has left. For now, you must do your best to ignore its call.”

  “Easy for you to say. You’re not walking around with what feels like a white hot poker pressed against your chest.” I make it a few steps before I realize that Huey has stopped. “What are you doing? We don’t have time for this.”

  “You are not alone in your pain, Beloved Xebulin. I share it with you.”

  “What? Since when?”

  “It is my honor to bear witness to the burden you carry. As always, my pledge to you is if I cannot take it away, I will suffer alongside you. I have felt it since its conception.”

  I gawk at him a moment, unable to even comprehend what he’s saying. I knew he took my injuries away in the gym and nearly died in the process, but I had no idea. This whole time I’ve felt so alone, so embarrassed, and yet he’s been just as affected by Vrae’s betrayal as I have been.

  I’m such an idiot. A selfish, whiney, immature idiot.

  Huey nudges my neck when I run back and wrap my arms around him. “Why didn’t you tell me? I had no idea, I’m so sorry.”

  “It is I who apologizes. I never meant for you to feel as if you were isolated in your pain. It is my duty and life’s mission to always offer you comfort.”

  “Stop, you’re going to make me cry.”

  Huey’s tail wraps around my shoulders, holding me tight. “Your eye drainage is unnecessary, and I find the smell…unsavory.”

  A bleary laugh escapes. “Ha. You’re a real word magician, you know that?” I ruffle his tentacles and run a hand down his back. “Ah, Huey. What would I do without you?”

  “Well, you would have died for one…”

  With a shake of my head, I climb to my feet. “Thanks f
or the reminder. Come on, we’re going to miss Ha’Jahn if we don’t hurry.”

  The lockers pass in a blur of color as we jog toward Ha’Jahn’s office, hoping he’s still in there. I’ve noticed that he tends to stay in his office more when visitors come and that Te’Lara and his secretary Te’Bec field his calls. I think he prefers the quiet, and I don’t blame him one bit. There are so many rules and protocols to follow with the upper echelon of Xebulin society, I can imagine it gets exhausting. Plus, a lot of them are brats just like their kids.

  Not bothering to knock, Huey barges in and I follow after apologizing. “I’m sorry Headmaster, Huey has no manners—oh, sorry! We didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “Yes, I did. My time is valuable.”

  “Behave yourself!”

  Sitting solemnly in his chair, brows drawn, he’s staring at an ornate jar on his desk. The Gloridian. She’s unmoved, her slick silver form resting inside, locked up tight. Well, not so tightly a good two foot fall couldn’t jostle it open, but there’s no way I’m mentioning that again. Pretty sure Te’Lara broke his heart with the news she’d spoken to me the first time.

  “You’re quite all right, Cherise. Please come in. Nothing is happening here anyway.”

  He sighs, a deep sadness somehow dampening the brightness of his skin. “What can I help you with? I thought you were off enjoying the day with So’Tia’s family.”

  “I was. But I wanted to come here and talk to you about tomorrow. I know the announcement of names of all the students who qualify to participate comes out tonight, but I wanted to know ahead of time if I am going to be on it. I still haven’t decided whether or not I want to try and well, I don’t want to be blindsided if I’m not eligible.”

  The tips of his long silver-black hair are hanging loosely down the front of his traditional cream robes and brush against the paper he sets in front of me.

  It’s the list, and my name’s not on it.

  “I don’t understand. I should be on here.”

  “The Assembly thought it best for you to observe this year. Assemblyman Ty’Don has requested you serve as personal liaison to the Assembly members.”

  My stomach sinks, and my lungs tighten. “You can’t be serious.“

  He sighs, “I’m afraid I am. He requested you personally.”

  “But he hates me.”

  Huey growls and shakes his head, sliding past me to connect with the headmaster. “I understand, Huetalizan. But there is little I can do…”

  Another growl and a huff from Huey, and he rips his regala off and storms back to my side. Ha’Jahn rubs his eyes. “I realize what I am asking of you. But with the War Commander present, the Assembly area is the safest place for you to be. The lockdown might be over, but the risk is still there.

  “At most you will be required to serve drinks and assist them with minor needs, and you will be awarded participation points toward your final grade.”

  My jaw aches from clenching it so hard. “You know he’s going to humiliate me.”

  “War Commander Ty’Furi should be enough of a deterrent to curb his tongue. She demands respect and holds the other Xebulins around her to a similar standard. He won’t get away with the type of behavior he did at the celebration. I do not like this any more than you, but I cannot challenge him on this. There is no outright cause for it.”

  “This is complete crap. You know that, right?”

  “Go get some rest. You’re to report by 7:00 a.m. tomorrow and not a minute later. And let me be clear. Ty’Don and the others will be studying you just as much as they are the scores of their offspring. Do not let your guard down and consider every word you say carefully.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I need brownies. Or cake, or ice cream—anything—to distract me from the disaster that tomorrow will undoubtedly bring. Go get some sleep. It’s the middle of the day! He has to be completely gorked if he thinks I can nap after the bombshell he just dropped. I have to spend all of tomorrow with Nix’s dad. Not only that, I have to serve him.

  I’m both pissed and relieved I didn’t qualify for the games. The pressure to perform is insane, so I’m glad I’m spared from that, but at the same time, it’s irritating the decision was made for me. I know my track record as a Xebulin isn’t exactly stellar and there’s no way I would have won. I’d never expect to. But it should have been my choice.

  “Beloved Xebulin, are you sure we should be breaking and entering? The dining hall is not open after hours.”

  “Don’t care. I’m going to eat my weight in brownies with or without your help.” Huey increases his size, illuminating the tip of his tail to light our way through the dark kitchen. The lights are set on timers, and since the headmaster had food brought in, the kitchen is powered down for the day.

  Huey sniffs the air, then guides me to the fourth fridge. A rush of cool air swirls around my face when the door pops open to reveal the gloriousness that lies inside. I lunge for an entire tray of brownies, and after I set it down, scribble a note with what I’m taking then slide back out into the hall.

  What? Of course, I left a note. I’m depressed, not a savage.

  Hundreds of faces pass us on the way to our room—happy and oblivious—only concerned with tomorrow’s competition. When I woke up as a Xebulin, I was relieved. Convinced that everything would be different and easier than it was before. It seems I’ve only traded one hardship for another. Before it was bullies, betrayal, and isolation. Here, in this place, all of those things still exist, just in different ways.

  The only real difference from before is that as a human I had one mother who couldn’t care less about me. Now, I have two.

  “Cherise? Is that you?” Rev jogs after me from one of the lounge areas, looking a little worse for wear.

  “Hey, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you with your family?”

  He fiddles with the black cuff on his wrist. “They didn’t come. I got disqualified for the games. Neither one of my parents will speak to me.”

  Huey’s nails scratch across the floor as he lies down, making an obvious effort to be heard. They weren’t clicking two seconds ago, so he must have grown them slightly to make a point.

  “Disqualified? How? Why? I thought you said you had one more point before that happened?”

  He looks off in the distance and scrubs a hand through his hair. “I did, and then I got blamed for something stupid, and boom, no games for me. Bet you’re excited though…”

  The smile he gives me is short lived. “You are competing, right?”

  “You must have not seen the list. I’m being forced to serve the Assembly members. Apparently, I’m in need of some good observing.”

  His arm feels warm against my shoulder. “Damn, that sucks. Those guys are total goons. There’s no way for you to get out of it?”

  “Nope. Not with the War Commander coming. I’m serving her, too.”

  Rev twists the silver ring in his eyebrow. It’s different—new, I think. “I suddenly feel a lot better about my situation.”

  “Yeah, I would, too if I were you. But I’m not, hence the brownies.”

  “I was going to ask…”

  I crack a small smile, despite my misery. “Don’t ever question a sad girl about her food choices.”

  The confident curve of his lips turns down and his brow furrows. “Are you?”

  “Am I what?” I ask, switching the tray to the other hip. This thing is freaking heavy.

  “Sad.” Tipping my chin up, his gaze connects with mine and my heart speeds up. The sheer intimacy of the moment feels wrong. Like, I’m sharing something with him that I shouldn’t. Unable to keep my focus on the wall in my mind, the mark on my chest starts to scream, nearly dropping me. Huey jets over to nudge up the corner of the tray as it tips down while I try to gain my bearings.

  “Whoa, you okay?” Rev asks, reaching over to steady me.

  “Yeah, fine. Just tired. I’m going to head back to my room.”

  Rev smiles
, but not even the brightness of his eyes can hide the frustration in his voice. “You’re never going to let me in, are you?”

  Warmth infuses my cheeks, and the small bit of hope I’ve held on to that my feelings for him would change flickers out. “I would if I could. Believe me, I would. But you’re wasting your time. I’m all messed up and it’s not going to change any time soon.”

  He stares at me for a moment, still twirling the leather band on his wrist. “I get it. And that’s cool, but I’ll be honest with you. I’m far too stubborn to give up on something I want as bad as I want you without a good reason. So, no worries. You do you, but I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

  “And if I’m never ready? What then?”

  He winks, giving me a full dose of his schoolboy charm before he waltzes back into the lounge area and out of sight. “I’m a patient man, Cherise. And you should never say never…”

  It’s back again—the warmth in my window—and I swear, it always shows up when I need it the most. There are no stars tonight, nothing but a blanket of inky darkness blotting out the moon and its light. Huey’s pawing in his sleep. Likely chasing something through the trees. Even he’s found some kind of peace in all this madness, but not me. While he and Tia and what feels like the rest of the world sleep comfortably, I’m sitting here in a damn window as a last resort to calm my nerves.

  I don’t want to go tomorrow. Can barely stomach the thought of having to look at Ty’Don’s smug face. The rest of the Assembly members aren’t nearly as bad. All of them were kind to me during the celebration, but none of them said a word when he verbally crapped all over me. So, I have zero hope they’ll put an end to his narcissistic torment tomorrow.

  And what about the War Commander? Is she going to be just as bad as he is? I know the headmaster said she isn’t, but what if he’s wrong? God, what if she’s worse?